MARATHON - The Raiders' run to the WIAA state boys basketball tournament has been due in large part to a physical front court which consists of three players who are 6-foot-3 or taller.

The trio of seniors Nathan Stoffel (6-5), Donavan Free (6-3) and junior Carter Hanke (6-3) have combined to average about 41 points and 375 of the Raiders' 668 rebounds.

"We all just know our roles and what we can do," Stoffel said. "Donny is that step-out kind of guy and me and Carter kind of have the moves in the paint but Carter has a little more of that finesse game and can step outside, too. I'm more of the power guy in the middle. We all have fallen into our roles and at this point, it all just works really well together."

That combination is a reason the Raiders (22-4), seeded third in the state tournament, head into Thursday's WIAA Division 4 state semifinal against a No. 2 Clear Lake team which bears a strong resemblance to Marathon.

The undefeated Warriors have a front court of juniors Bryce Hacker (6-5), Bailey Blanchart (6-4) and Marshall Cain (6-4). Blanchard averages a team-best 19.6 points per game, while Hacker and Cain average 10.7 and 9.3 points per game, respectively. The three have combined for 502 rebounds.

Marathon's coach Adam Jacobson talks to his team during a short break Thursday, March 8, 2018, during the WIAA Sectional Semi-final boys basketball game match between Marathon and Auburndale at D.C. Everest High School, in Weston, Wis. T'xer Zhon Kha/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

Like this topic? You may also like these photo galleries:

"They kind of remind us a lot of ourselves," Marathon coach Adam Jacobson said. "They are prominent with their front court players and their length is going to be a challenge."

The winner of the matchup faces either Roncalli or Pardeville on Saturday afternoon at the Kohl Center in Madison. It is Marathon's eighth state tournament appearance in the program's history and first since the Raiders won the Division 4 title in 2011.

"It's just great to finally have the opportunity to go down (to Madison)," Free said. "This is something we have been working toward since we were 6, 7 or 8 years old."

The state trip comes after Marathon lost to Amherst in a sectional title game two years ago and on a last-second shot to Neillsville in a regional championship matchup last season.

"I think we lost both of those games on the defensive end and rebounding," Free said. "This year we have been pretty strong in both those areas. That is what has got us to this point."

The Raiders and Clear Lake have averaged 69.4 and 65.8 points per game, respectively, but Thursday's matchup could be a defensive battle

Clear Lake (25-0) has allowed an average of 41.68 points and playing primary man-to-man defense, has surrendered more than 50 points just six times.

"I've had 17 years at Clear Lake and early in my career we kind of strived more on offense and tried to score points in transition and play up-tempo," said Clear Lake coach Jason Sargent, whose team fell to Chippewa Falls McDonell in a Division 5 sectional semifinal last season. "You realize that at the end of the day you have to hang your hat on defense. Shots aren't always going to go in for you.

"We've kind of preached defense the last two years, and it's really been the difference for us," Sargent said. "In our last three games we weren't scoring like we normally do, whether is was due to nerves or what. But that defense has really carried us, and the kids believe in it now. We have really frustrated some very good teams."

Marathon plays a lot of man-to-man defense as well, along with a 1-3-1 zone, and has surrendered 48.3 points a game. The Raiders did not allow more than 54 points in any of their four postseason games.

Defense is not the only area where Jacobson feels the Raiders have clicked during the playoff run.

"I think the biggest thing is how loose we are playing," Jacobson said. "We put at the top of our practice plan 'Confidently Execute'. I really think we are playing with a ton of confidence right now. It's not a must-win, it's a must-execute. The team that executes the best (Thursday) is the one that is going to come away with the win."